


Stars In Your Eyes

by EllieApple



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Comfort No Hurt, Fluff, M/M, Smoking, i didn't mean for this to come out this fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22955986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllieApple/pseuds/EllieApple
Summary: It'd be just a quick hang out with some friends, he had promised. A New Year's Eve party, something silly and fun and they could find a place to just be together in a corner somewhere and avoid everyone else, like they always did. And instead, they had driven up to a house on top of a hill; there was a pool in the back filled with drunk people, and a living room turned into dancefloor that reeked of something awful.Jesus' apologetic glance over his shoulder was all he could do before he was dragged away into socializing.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Jesus
Kudos: 44





	Stars In Your Eyes

"I am so sorry."

Jesus had uttered the words as soon as they walked through the threshold, into the booming music and flashing lights. Daryl probably looked as stunned as he felt, and Paul looked like he was considering making a quick exit towards the car when an old friend pulled him into a hug and away from there.

It'd be just a quick hang out with some friends, he had promised. A New Year's Eve party, something silly and fun and they could find a place to just be together in a corner somewhere and avoid everyone else, like they always did. And instead, they had driven up to a house on top of a hill; there was a pool in the back filled with drunk people, and a living room turned into dancefloor that reeked of something awful. Jesus' apologetic glance over his shoulder was all he could do before he was dragged away into socializing.

Two hours later and Daryl was hiding in the kitchen, sulking, pretending to make drinks and chucking them down the sink to avoid making conversation.

He decided pretty quickly that he hated everyone here. This wasn't his scene, but he should've seen this coming. He could hardly tolerate any type of party, and one where he was forced to dress up and be away from his boyfriend was the worst kind.

He needed a cigarette. He needed a drink. He needed his boyfriend to come save him.

At least no one bothered talking to him so far, save for the drunk girl who almost threw up in the sink -- she had apologized and giggled --, and a guy who had said he liked Daryl's shoes. He had responded to both with a noncommittal grunt and hoped to God they would go away. And they did.

This, he was pretty sure, was his first layer of Hell. Stuck at a party, surrounded by strangers, away from the one person he knew here. His heart was stuck somewhere in his throat and he tried to focus on sipping his plain, boring coca-cola in order to keep his anxiety in check. When that didn't help, he tried to navigate the house in order to find some fresh air and maybe have a cigarette in peace.

He squeezed around the sweaty, dancing bodies in pursuit of the balcony he could spot on the other end of the room. There was a girl passed out on a couch that he silently vowed to keep an eye on. A distant couple humping each other against a wall. Some sticky substance on the floor that almost had him tripping.

When he finally reached the door outside, his eyes made a quick sweep of the room, looking for a familiar head of long hair.

His eyes met Jesus' from across the dancefloor, and the man sent him another painfully apologetic look, worry filling the blue orbs. He was in a circle of people, presumably the old friends he had wanted to meet here. Everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Daryl smiled, and did his best to look reassuring, with a nod and a shrug before slipping outside.

He didn't mind if Jesus wanted to be in there, doing his thing. He was a social butterfly, someone who thrived in parties, Daryl had seen it happen before. Jesus lit up every room he walked into, people flocked to him like moths to a light, and he handled the attention always so gracefully. He was effortlessly entertaining, he could tell stories for hours and make anyone have a good time.

Daryl had taken him to a work party once, and his coworkers still excitedly waited for the next time they'd get to see Dixon's boyfriend. They liked him better than Daryl.

The fresh air greeted him with a gush as he pushed outside, and he was grateful to see the place nearly empty. The balcony was wide, wooden floors under his feet and fancy railings that faced a wonderful view of the hills around them. There was a trio of people talking on a corner, but they paid him no mind, so he set out to the other end, hoping he wouldn't disturb anyone with his smoke.

His hands were shaking when they lit up the cigarette, but the first drag of smoke filled his lungs quickly and Daryl felt soothed. He'd cling onto any piece of familiarity he could, and right now, smoke curling inside his chest would do. He'd been trying to stop, had promised Jesus he would lower his intake, but tonight wasn't the time to keep that promise. One cigarette more wouldn't kill him.

"I'm sorry," the voice sounded behind him, a hand sneaking around his back and tugging at his belt loops.

Daryl turned to meet Jesus, blowing smoke away before they could face each other. The other still had that same look in his eyes, like it pained him to be here.

"It's not so bad," the hunter shrugged, leaning back against the railings, pulling his boyfriend in to follow. "You having fun?"

"Not without you," he pressed closed, reached out to take the cigarette from Daryl's hand and had a drag for himself. He hardly ever smoked, often proclaimed his distaste for the act itself, so he had to be highly distressed to be partaking so openly tonight. "I didn't know it'd be this crowded. Or this fancy. Or this loud. It sucks."

Daryl chuckled, suppressing the urge to lean in and kiss the pout away from Jesus' mouth, because he wasn't sure where they stood on PDA at this party. He usually wasn't good on initiating touches out in public, anyway. Specially not in a place full of strangers.

"It doesn't suck," he insisted. It did, objectively, suck. It was a little bit awful. But he didn't want Jesus to be feeling guilty over inviting him here, even if it was miserable for him. "How are your friends?"

"Drunk," the shorter man snorted, taking a finishing drag of the cigarette before putting it out against the railing behind them. "I wanted to introduce you, but I can't even hear anything in there. And they're being dicks. Sorry I got stuck with them and couldn't get here any sooner."

"Stop apologizing," Daryl couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "I'm okay. Promise. You can go back in there."

Jesus shook his head, leaning closer until their bodies were pressed together comfortably. Daryl hummed, his back against the railing. He had no issue being stuck here, his boyfriend's body pressed against him from toes to chests, the balcony railing digging into his lower back. From this close, Jesus had to tilt his head up to have their eyes meet, and he swore he could count the stars reflected in the man's pupils and he wasn't sure at what point he became this big of a sap. Suddenly, the night wasn't so bad anymore.

"You wanna bail?" Paul asked, arms snaking around Daryl's waist.

The hunter hummed in thought, reaching out to sink his hand into Jesus' hair, curling onto the nape of his neck. He felt the happy mewl from the shorter man's throat at the simple touch.

"Maybe it's not so bad anymore," Daryl offered, and watched as Jesus' lips spread in a wolfish grin.

"You're a huge ball of sap," he accused, but his body pressed closer and his grin only grew. "I can't believe you're so corny."

"I can't believe you're a smoker," Daryl teased back, his voice flat but his hand giving Jesus' neck a squeeze. "Didn't you tell me kissing a smoker felt like licking an ashtray, that time?"

The other man looked like he wanted to be mad about that, but he was too busy melting against the hand on his neck to have any power behind his glare.

"That's unfair. I said that when we had just met, as a funny joke, before I knew I had any chance of kissing you," Jesus protested, but there was laughter hidden in his voice. "Don't remind me of my embarrassing moments."

Embarrassing was an understatement to describe the first time they met. It had been an awkward trainwreck, in a party not so different from this one, a couple years ago now. Maybe that's why these kind of stupid parties have a special place in Daryl's heart. Because ever since then, any place he went to with Jesus, wasn't so bad. Even with all the panic and the annoyance, he still somehow ended up smiling all the way home.

Jesus could lead him into a warzone and he'd follow along with a dopey smile on his face and a pair of heart eyes.

"You wanna dance?" Jesus asked, raising his eyebrows skeptically, like he knew what the answer would be.

"Nah," was the obvious response. "We can stay here." 

"We can do this at home, y'know," the shorter man pointed out, though his tone was light. "And other fun things. Instead of just standing here."

Daryl shrugged, squeezing Jesus' neck again. Yeah, they could go home and probably find thirty different ways to spend the evening -- only half of them with sexual implications --, but there was good to be found in here, too. There was comfort in knowing they could be anywhere as long as they were together. And there was the thrill of being out in public, touching and hugging and being so open.

It still excited Daryl, like he was a teenager experiencing his first relationship, whenever they indulged in public displays of affection. He wasn't always a fan of it. Some days, he preferred not to touch, felt overwhelmed by the gentlest hand-holding at a grocery store. Other days, he felt like he could melt himself against Jesus and it still wouldn't be close enough. And somehow, he'd found a partner who completely understood that he happened to have some days like this or that, and never held it against him for even a second.

He hadn't grown up used to openly loving someone. His family wasn't the touchy type. Learning not to cringe away when someone got close had been a long journey.

And now he could be here, holding onto his boyfriend, without second-guessing, without glances over his shoulder, without concern if anyone was watching. He wanted to touch and kiss and love and there wasn't an ounce of guilt twisting his stomach.

"Do you just like showing me off?" Jesus teased, after the few beats of silence. His grin was still on. "Is that why you suddenly want to stay?"

"Maybe," Daryl responded, more genuine than it had any right to be.

Jesus' grin faltered, but only because it shifted into something fond, something sacred. He wasn't used to all the sappiness, either. Some days, the teasing and playfulness was all he could do, and the openness overwhelmed him, too.

But they understood each other.

"Okay, then, party animal," he tucked a strand of long hair behind his own ear, tone still silly but his eyes much softer now. "You let me know when you want to go home."

"In a bit," Daryl promised, thumb drawing circles behind his boyfriend's ear just to watch his eyes flutter.

They wouldn't stay for long, they both knew it. But for this moment, this place right there was perfect. With the railing digging uncomfortably into his back and the blaring music turned into a distant murmur, Daryl was happy. He had the love of his life with him, and he was happy.

They could stay a little longer.

**Author's Note:**

> hello, my kink is daryl and jesus having a loving and understanding relationship.
> 
> Anyway, this is something short and fun that I had sitting in my drafts for the longest time, so I decided to post it in hopes that it warms someone's heart with its fluff. This whole scene was inspired by the various songs on the radio that talk about shitty parties. I don't like Justin Bieber but his line "when we walked in, I said 'I'm sorry'" in the song I Don't Care really gets me and I had to write this, it's so fitting.
> 
> Leave a kudo, leave a comment, let me know what you think!


End file.
